Mary Read online

  “Your brother was named Liam . . . as in Liam O'Brien?”

  The doctor's words punched her in the chest as hard as if he had used both of his fists to do it. Who was this man? How could he possibly have known what her brother's last name was? She hadn't told him. She hadn't said anything about their names. In fact, she had refused to tell him anything about her name at all.

  She could barely breathe. “How do you know that?” she whispered and stared into his eyes for any signs of deception, but the same kind eyes stared back at her. Fear and confusion pushed her body into motion. She stood quickly and nearly fell over the same tree root she had tripped over the first time.

  The doctor stood too and caught her, keeping her from falling again. Secure in his strong hands, he pulled her slightly closer to him. “Is your name . . . Mary? Are you Mary O'Brien?” She saw hope on his face. Who was this man that he could read her mind. Had he cast a spell on her with his doctor potions?

  She tried to pull away, but he held on tight. “Let me go. I—I have to get back to town.” Perhaps he had cast a spell on her or the medicine he had put on her knee had gone to her brain. That is how he learned her secrets. She must get away from him before he used his dark magic on her again.

  Afraid he wasn't going to let her go, she pulled hard against his grasp and searched for the pistol, but it had fallen to the ground when she jumped up. Fear sent her pulse racing because he did not let her go. Instead, he reached out and kept hold of her hand to keep her from falling over the tree root again.

  “Moonfire . . . Mary, please listen to me. Your brother wasn't killed that day. He survived. He survived and walked to the nearby town. He's been mourning the loss of your family ever since that day you were carried away. But he's alive. He’s very much alive, and he’s living in Creede, Colorado, a mountain mining town less than fifty miles from here. That’s how I know who you are. He’s my friend and he’s told me your story, but he thinks you were the one who was killed that day.”

  Her head was full of jumbled thoughts buzzing around like angry bees in a hive. Confusion swirled around and around making it impossible to make sense of the man’s words. How could she believe this stranger, and yet how could he have known her name, her brother’s name, unless he was telling the truth?

  “Let’s get you back to town and I’ll let the Webbers know that I can take you to your brother. To your family. Where you belong.”

  Doc's mind raced as the truth about this woman swarmed his thoughts like a hornet ripped from its nest high in a tree. Liam's little sister—the one his friend had thought dead all these years—was alive.

  He could tell she was afraid to believe what he was telling her. He didn’t blame her. “Mary, please just listen. I know this sounds far-fetched, but think about it. How would I know your last name? You didn't tell me. And how would I know your first name was Mary? It's because Liam has told me about you a thousand times. He and I are good friends. He still talks about you all the time.

  “He's been in Creede for probably close to ten years now. He moved there after his mentor, Mr. Hiram Hanover, a well-known attorney, found your brother wandering the streets of some dusty town. He was starving and alone and Hiram took him in, put him through law school, and made him his law partner. Mary, listen to me. Your brother is married, and he has a daughter. They named the little girl after you. You have a family. A real family.”

  Doc saw the first sign that she was beginning to believe him. It was a glimmer of hope in the tears pooling in those blue eyes of hers. He wanted to keep that hope alive. “I can take you to him. We can leave tomorrow.” He heard his emotions in his own voice. He had found Liam's sister. He couldn't believe it, and yet here she stood in front of him. A real flesh and blood woman with red hair and sky-blue eyes.

  “Can I dare to hope it's true? Are you sure?” she asked. Then shook her head. “Dare I hope?” He could tell she was trying to convince herself it was okay to believe it was possible.

  But he knew it was more than possible. It was absolutely one-hundred-percent true. He had found his friend's long-lost sister. He was as shocked as he knew his friend would be.

  “Let's get you back to town and then we can make our plans to travel tomorrow. What do you say?” He picked up his medical bag and walked over and untied the reins to his horse. His mind was a flurry of excitement as he imagined how he would tell Liam his sister was alive.

  He placed his medical bag on the back of his saddle and tied it into place. Then, he turned toward Mary and offered to let her ride on his horse back to town. She shook her head no.

  “I’ll walk with you if you don't mind. It'll give us a chance to talk more. I'd like to ask you about my brother.”

  “Of course.” He led his horse to where she stood under the tree and then the two of them headed back to town walking side-by-side like they had been old friends for years. They had gotten as far as the road before she asked him her first question. “Did you say my brother is a lawyer?”

  “Yes, he is. In fact, he is a very good one,” Doc said, and then offered a bit more information. “Liam told me that Mr. Hanover, his business partner and mentor, found him wandering the streets of some town. Perhaps it was the same town you were headed to when your family was attacked. I’m not sure Liam even remembers.”

  “Did he say what happened after I was taken?”

  “Yes, once he came to, which he said was well after dark, he ran the entire way to the closest town with an injury to his head. Probably the town your family was headed to. When he reached the town, he told everyone what happened. Luckily, his injury looked worse than it was and he returned to bury your parents. He tried to find work in the town, but was soon starving and obviously in need of help. That’s where Hiram Hanover comes in. The man, and his wife Aggie, sort of collect lost souls. They care for anyone who needs help, and he decided your brother definitely needed help. So, he took Liam under his wing and the rest is, as they say, history. Mr. Hanover was well-known for helping orphans and he saw something special in your brother. He sent Liam back East to one of the best law schools and when Hiram moved to Creede, he brought Liam out west with him.”

  Mary smiled and looked down at the ground as they walked. “And my brother has a wife?”

  “Yes, a very beautiful wife. She's royalty in fact.” Doc told the story of how Hiram insisted Liam represent the woman accused of murder. He was very angry because he thought he was saving—”

  “An Indian. I can see where my brother would not be happy about that situation.”

  “Well, during the trial, he fell in love with the woman. And boy was he a prickly pear to be around. He thought—”

  “He thought he had fallen in love with an Indian and she could have been related to the people who killed our parents.”

  “Yes, and who he thought had killed his little sister, but instead of being a native of this country, she turned out to be the daughter of a royal princess from India, and her father was an English duke.”

  “I can't believe it. My bossy brother is the husband of a princess? I wonder if he ever learned to wash his own socks.” Mary chuckled at her long-ago memory of her brother. “Momma always had to nag Liam to wash behind his ears too. Guess he's changed a lot in the last eighteen years.”

  Doc heard the sad note in her voice. “I can't imagine what you are going through right now, Mary. To think that a beloved member of your family is gone forever and then to learn they are still on this Earth—within your grasp—it staggers my mind. Are you going to be alright?”

  He thought about his own family members who were gone and what it would be like to suddenly find out they were still alive. Thoughts of his mother surfaced and the ache that penetrated his heart was never far behind. His foot rolled on a fallen pinecone in the road. He caught himself against his horse's saddle.

  Mary turned and gave him a curious look. “I guess I should be asking you if you're alright.”

  “Yeah, just not paying attention to wher
e I'm going,” he offered as an explanation. He didn't want to talk about his own personal losses. After all, his losses were permanent. There would be no surprise reunions for him. That much he knew with absolute certainty.

  Soon, they arrived at the house where Mary was staying. He was tying his horse to the hitching post out front when a woman stomped out of the house and onto the front porch. “Where have you been you lazy excuse for a human? I knew you were trouble the minute I laid eyes on you. Get inside this house at once.”

  Doc moved to stand in front of Mary. “What gives you the right to talk to her like that?”

  The woman’s attention and anger turned on him. “And just who are you, mister? What right do you have to tell me what I can and can't do in my own house? This woman is under my authority and I will speak to her however I wish.”

  The woman returned her attention to Mary. “And just where have you been all afternoon?” Throwing a knowing glance at him, she sneered. “Up to know good it looks like to me. You’re more trouble than you're worth. Now, get inside and try to make yourself useful. And tell this man he's not welcome here. We aren't those kind of people.”

  When neither of them moved, the woman stepped down off the porch and tried to grab hold of Mary, but Doc blocked her movements.

  “You don't own this woman, and I won’t stand by and let you treat her like a piece of property.”

  “See here, what's going on? Margaret, who are these people and what are you yelling about?” A large man came out of the house and stood on the front porch waiting for his wife to explain.

  “Herbert, this man is trying to tell me I can't tell this woman what to do.”

  It was obvious this was the woman's husband. Doc hoped he could reason with him because he sure hated to think he would have to fight him. The man was the size of Big Angus and that was not someone he wanted to tangle with. He felt for his pistol in his waistband and realized he’d put it inside his medical bag when he and Mary left the forest. Dang it. He’d just have to try reasoning first.

  “Sir, your wife is treating this young woman like she's some sort of slave. It's my understanding that Colonel Beckham left her under your protection. I dare say servitude to your missus was not what he envisioned. Wouldn't you agree?”

  “And who are you, sir?” The big man stepped off the porch and offered his hand to Doc.

  “I’m Doctor Howard from Creede. I come down here to The Springs quite often in search of medicinal herbs and plants.” He shook the man's huge paw hoping to strike a friendly tone.

  “My name's Herbert Webber. This here's my wife, Margaret. Now, would you mind telling me what business you have with this young woman?” He frowned at Doc making sure he understood he wanted a truthful answer.

  “Yes. As it turns out, this young woman is the sister of a good friend of mine, and—”

  “Oh, hogwash,” Mrs. Webber spoke up. “That's nonsense. This woman has been hiding up in the mountains with the Utes for years. Can’t say I blame her with that nonsense tattooed on her face. Besides, she hasn't got any relatives. She said so herself. What are you up to, Doctor, that is if you really are a doctor?” The woman's suspicions were starting to get on his nerves.

  “I can assure you I have plenty of references around this town as to who I am, and she hasn't been hiding, Mrs. Webber. And those markings tattooed on her face, the ones you call nonsense, is the mark of a slave. She was kidnapped when her family was murdered. At least, her parents were killed. She thought her brother had been killed too, but she was wrong. He happens to be a good friend of mine who has also thought his sister dead all these long years. Fate has put me in a position to bring them back together, which is precisely what I plan to do. She and I will be leaving for Creede first thing tomorrow.”

  “Now, wait a minute.” She turned to her husband. “Herbert, you can't allow this man to take her away. Why she's barely been here a week and I'm planning on her helping me clean out the attic. And then there's the garden that needs weedin’, and laundry that needs washin’, and—”

  “Enough, Margaret.” The big man held up his hand to stop his wife's rant. He turned to Doc and nodded. “I understand whatcha was gettin' at earlier. You're welcome to take her to her brother, if she's a mind to go.”

  “But Herbert—” Mrs. Webber turned and put her fists on her hips in protest.

  “Hush up, Margaret. The colonel left her in our care until she could be reunited with family. It seems she’s found that family, so she's leavin’—”

  “But, that’s not fair,” his wife protested again.

  “And that's the end of it I said.”

  It was obvious the woman was not happy about this new revelation, but she remained silent.

  “Thank you, Mr. Webber. I’ll be by first thing tomorrow morning for Mary.” Doc assured the couple. “I trust she will be treated well until then.” He shot a pointed look in Mrs. Webber’s direction.

  Mr. Webber’s gaze followed his and back. The big man nodded in understanding. “You have my word, doctor. She’ll be treated just like a member of the family, ain’t that right Margaret?”

  His wife’s frustration was evident in the rapid tapping of her booted toe on the wooden porch. After several seconds of silence, and a stern look from her husband, she nodded. “Just like family,” she agreed between clenched teeth.

  Doc nodded to the couple on the step and then turn to Liam’s long-lost sister and grinned. “I’ll be here first thing in the morning to take you to see your family. Don’t be nervous, Mary. It’s going to be a wonderful reunion.”

  Chapter 4

  Mary awoke before dawn’s light. She was dressed, her meager possessions packed and ready to go when she heard the sound of horse hoofs walking on the hard packed dirt street outside the house. “So this is really happening.” When she heard the horses stop in front of the house, her heart stumbled and anxiety over the unknown hit her deep in her gut. “Take a deep breath, Moonfire,” she admonished herself. “Be very brave.”

  A light knock on the front door indicated her escort had arrived. She heard the low rumble of male voices and soon a knock sounded at her door. “Miss? Mary? The doctor is here to take you home.” Mr. Webber’s deep voice softened by his attempt to whisper.

  “I’m coming.” She took one last look around the room and wondered what her new home would look like. Gathering her things, she stuck her knife in the tall shank of her leather boots Mrs. Webber had given her last night. She supposed the woman was making a gesture of sorts in giving her the boots that were free of holes.

  She crossed the room and caught sight of herself in the mirror. Still unaccustomed to seeing herself in a white woman’s dress with her fire-colored braid coiled at the crown of her head, she stopped for a moment to stare. The Ute’s didn’t bother with mirrors. Her Ute mother had said it was vain for a woman to stare at her reflection. The Great Father made every being just as they should be and to question his wisdom by thinking to change themselves would be foolish and disrespectful to the Great Father.

  She had only seen the tattoos on her face in the river’s reflection. There, they were muted by the water’s movement and she had grown accustomed to the sight. But here, in this mirror, she saw the stark reality of what her captors had done to her. They had marked her as a slave, but she feared, now all anyone would ever see was a victim. Someone to be pitied.

  A tear slid down her marred cheek and she flicked it away. She had not been able to stand up for herself when her family’s attackers stole her away and murdered her family. But thanks to their cruel treatment and the kindness of her Ute family, now she was strong and she would be courageous in the face of whatever was to come.

  With one last look at the marks on the side of her cheek, she turned her back on them and opened the door to find Mr. Webber waiting in the hallway. “Are you ready, ma’am?”

  She had noticed the pity in the man’s eyes since he had learned some of her story. She already hated it and knew there would
be more in her future, but she would learn to ignore their looks.

  “Yes, I am ready.” She turned toward the front door without another word. She hoped this feeling of despair would improve as she grappled with her insecurities. She stepped outside on the Webber’s front porch, the cold morning air stealing her breath away, but when her escort, Doctor Howard, turned at the sound of her footsteps on the wooden planks, something else stole her breath away.

  “Good morning, Miss O’Brien. I was afraid you’d overslept after your emotional revelation yesterday.” His words caught the fringe of her awareness, but it was his handsome features along with his smiling dark eyes and bright smile that pulled at her undivided attention.

  “I could barely sleep so there was no chance of my oversleeping this morning.” She heard the breathiness in her words and tried to cover her awkwardness with a smile of her own.

  “Well, we should get going. I’d like to make it to the base of the mountain before dark. The tall pines on the trail hide much of the sunlight’s warmth so I trust you are dressed warm enough.”

  “I am dressed as warm as my new clothing will allow.” It was a slight insult to her hand-me-down clothing some of the ladies of the town had donated to her. Her dresses were a mix of summer cast-offs that did little to keep her warm and to compensate, she layered the thin materials to put a barrier between her and the night air. It might be late May but there was still snow on the mountain peaks and when the wind blew across them, the snow turned the air chilly.

  “What happened to your deer skins? You must have some,” Doctor Howard asked.

  Surprised at the question, it took her a moment to answer him. It seemed her companion truly did know much about the Ute way of life. “They were taken from me the moment I rode into town,” she offered as an explanation and cast a resentful glance to Mrs. Webber who was watching the exchange from the doorway.

  Doctor Howard sent her a knowing look and nodded. “I understand. We can remedy any clothing requirements you may have when we get to Creede. I can assure you, once your brother learns you are alive and well, you will want for nothing. Shall we go?”